I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Sleep Like Death is a fresh take on the Snow White story, skillfully blending familiar elements with original twists. The narrative is engaging and filled with suspense, making it hard to put down as the clues unfold.The author expertly incorporates various fairytales, particularly through the character of the Knight, creating a sense of familiarity that enhances the story. Readers will find themselves piecing together connections, leading to satisfying revelations.Grump is a memorable character whose readiness and resilience leave a lasting impression. Eve, with her fierce determination and magical abilities, also shines brightly. Her journey to confront the Knight is both compelling and inspiring.Overall, this is a thrilling read from start to finish.

Sleep Like Death is another great fairytale retelling by Kalynn Bayron. I truly didn't know what would happen next and I liked our main character. There were a few plot points I wasn't a fan of, which is why I gave the book a 4 star review instead of 5. I wasn't that big of a fan of the romance and I was a bit let down by the ending. I hope Bayron writes another fairytale retelling because I think she excels at writing them.

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*Sleep Like Death* by Kalynn Bayron is a captivating blend of suspense, mystery, and supernatural elements that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Bayron’s storytelling is atmospheric and engaging, drawing you into a world where reality blurs with the eerie unknown.

The protagonist is compelling and relatable, grappling with personal struggles that resonate deeply. Bayron masterfully intertwines these emotional threads with the gripping plot, making the stakes feel all the more real. The exploration of themes like identity, fear, and the unknown adds depth to the narrative, prompting thoughtful reflection as the story unfolds.

The pacing is mostly strong, with a steady build-up of tension that leads to a satisfying climax. However, there are moments where the plot could have benefited from a bit more clarity, leaving some questions lingering at the end. Despite this, the richly drawn characters and immersive world more than make up for any minor inconsistencies.

Overall, *Sleep Like Death* is a thrilling read that fans of dark fantasy and suspense will enjoy. Bayron’s unique voice and imaginative storytelling shine through, making this a memorable addition to the genre. I’m looking forward to seeing what she writes next!

This is my first experience with Kalynn Bayron and although I enjoyed her writing style, this book fell short for me. The characters felt one dimensional, and the romance was not realistic. I am not a fan of “insta-love”, and the characters professed their love within 4 days. The side characters were not developed enough, and the magic system is vague. I’d be happy to read something else from her, but this novel missed the mark.

Thank you Bloomsbury & Netgalley for the ARC!

Every book from Kalynn Bayron that I have read so far I have really enjoyed. In this one like some of her others she takes a fairytale we know and flip it on its head till the fairytale is more sprinkled in than just a retelling.

This book could be a bit confusing at times, since the story was quite a bit different from its Snow White inspiration. I like the main characters though and the journey this one took us on. It's a little dark, there is some queerness in there, people of color and just such good writing.

If you like retellings this might just be the book for you.

tbh this book was just kind of mid? I had heard amazing things from Kalynn Bayron's books and I was really excited to read this one after seeing all the good reviews for Cinderella is Dead, especially with it being one of the few Snow White retellings I've read but all the Snow White elements weren't introduced into the story until the second third of it and by that point it just felt forced.

I think this story tried to be so much it ended up being messy, from the knight who gave Rumpelstiltskin's vibes who happened to have a moving castle just like Howl, and the romance that felt so unnecessary and instant to the Snow White elements that were just forced in a couple of pages. I wish there was more character development and a deeper explaining on why the characters are acting the way they are as well, their motivations and, as why they have those abilities.

also on a side note, this book was marketed as having queer/lesbian representation and while the MC has two moms one of them is a bird during the whole story. I wish we could've gotten a better queer representation.

I feel the same way about this novel as I did about "Cinderella is Dead", it was good but not great. I do not think it will be cemented as the next literary masterpiece but that being said it is a good, well written story and it was fun. I think my daughter would enjoy it more than me as I believe it is geared more towards her age range but nevertheless it was enjoyable.

princess eve has trained all her life to defeat the knight, raised to believe that her magical abilities will one day be able to defeat the monster who has turned her people’s wishes into curses for generations. no one has been left unscathed, not even the royal family: one of eve’s mothers was turned into a songbird after making an (idiotic) deal with him. as eve prepares to face her enemy, her other mother begins to unravel—and eve learns that the knight’s influence on her family and kingdom runs deeper than she was ever told.

unfortunately i have to accept that kalynn bayron’s writing is just not for me. i was so frustrated by the premise of the knight. why is anyone still making deals with him when EVERY SINGLE DEAL has backfired? no one in this kingdom has any common sense (including the comically overpowered MC, eve) so it was difficult to get invested or root for anyone. sleep like death redeems itself somewhat in the fairytale elements; it’s a loose reimagining of “snow white” interwoven with other fairytales, and i enjoyed the twist with the knight’s identity… but with so many clever, lovely fairytale retellings available now, i can’t say this one is a standout for me.

I’ve tried twice and this is just not keep me entertained. I’m 34% into the book and nowhere does this resemble a Snow White retelling. The MC is bland and so are the characters. It’s hard to follow because the pacing is extremely slow.

This is an auto grab and auto buy author for me always. I have loved everything she has written. However I was was obsessed with this one. I love fairytale retellings and this one did not disappoint. I loved the mixture of retellings. I got so immersed in the story I just did not want it to end. The characters were so well written. I wanted to fight for Eve and her family. I just loved this book so much. Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA Children's Books for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Kalynn Bayron's take on the Sleeping Beauty fairytale is really intriguing. I loved the world she has built and found the characters to be really interesting and well-fleshed out. It wasn't a perfect book, but it was a very entertaining one.

My first Kalynn Bayron book was This Poison Heart, which I loved. This her new book is a loosely based retelling of Snow White.

Sleep Like Death was an entertaining read. I was sucked in right away with a character I could root for, Eve is brave, devoted to her family and kingdom. The world building was interesting and unexpected (really one can't always know what to expect in a fantasy read). There might have been hints to her previous Cinderella retelling but not enough to leave me confused, but enough to bump it up on my tbr. Though it took a bit to feel the Snow White vibe, the build up was action packed, heartbreaking and unique.

Kalynn Bayron is a talented author, her books are fun, engaging and entertaining. An author I recommend for those that like YA fantasy without the spice but can handle some death and violence.

My thanks to Bloomsbury YA (via Netgalley) for the digital ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Even when doing a retelling, you can always count on Kalynn Bayron's books to be unique and different. Honestly, I either don't know the Snow White story well or Bayron made a ton of changes, because SLEEP LIKE DEATH was always surprising!

Princess Eve was raised to hate the Knight, a traveling creature who has tormented her Kingdom by granting wishes with a catch; no matter what, they only work out favorably for the Knight in the end. She knows this firsthand; one of her moms, wishing for a beautiful voice, was turned into a bird. Now Eve is catching her other mom, Queen Regina, acting strange, and talking into a looking glass/stone.

I won't lie; some of this book is really weird. I'm okay with that part; pieces of it were rather frustrating, though, and that was more difficult. I certainly wish the LGBTQIA+ angle was stronger beyond Eve's two moms (I mean one is a bird) and some pining. Based on Bayron's other books, there was so much more she could have done here. Instead, Eve has a romance with Nova, a messenger of the Knight, that often feels completely unfounded. They see each other, talk once or twice, and then boom, they are suddenly in love. The lack of connections or reasoning in the story made little sense.

DEATH is stronger when it comes to its allusions to myths and stories. There's a very neat parallel to the Seven Dwarfs and some decent attempts at reversing gender stereotypes from Snow White (some fail, though). The book explores dark magic, often veering deeply into sad and tragic territory--this is certainly not a Disney retelling. It looks at the relationships of mothers and daughters and women in general. Eve's relationship with Queen Regina is complicated; sometimes, you wish everyone in the story would simply communicate more. (Or stop making doomed wishes?)

I enjoyed the story the most when Eve was off exploring and attempting to save her kingdom. This was an interesting retelling, but it seemed like a lot of the connections were missing--not a lot of backstory to the Knight's vengeance, Eve's romance, and more. It's a quick read, but lacking some depth.

Title: Sleep Like Death
By: Kalynn Bayron

Genre:
Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy, Retellings

Red Flags:
LQBTQ, Suicide

Summary/Review:

Eve is an independent, strong willed, and determined young woman. She is an animal whisperer, and holds a great wealth of knowledge of nature. She overhears her mother talking and learns danger is lurking around every corner, not only for herself, but for the kingdom. Will Eve decide to take matters into her own hands, and sacrifice herself in the meantime? Or will she discover another way?

This is my first reading by Kalynn Bayron. I have mixed feelings on the overall retelling. Personally, I feel like about half of this book was a true retelling. There were moments I fell in love with the character of Eve and other times I thought she lacked depth. The main characters were relatable, the author masterfully creates the importance of family ties, especially the role of a mother, a realistic mother daughter dynamic, and a tight knit community of unity. All of these dynamics which are beautiful for a young adult read. There were parts of the plotline that were fast paced, and other times I felt the storyline needed an extra bit of depth. The romance was there, however, somewhat lacking, I wished for a stronger built relationship with creative romantic depth.

Thank you Kalynn Bayron, Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#Sleeplikedeath
#Kalynnbayron
#usachildrensbooks
#reluctantreaderreads
#advancedreadercopies
#netgalleyreviews #netgalley

Kalynn Bayron's latest work is a mesmerizing retelling of Snow White that brings an exhilarating new voice to this beloved fairytale.
The story centers on Eve, a young woman who has spent her life preparing to confront the Knight, a sinister figure who twists wishes into curses. Eve's determination is deeply personal as one of her mothers has been cursed by the Knight and trapped in the body of a songbird. Armed with the unique abilities to communicate with animals and conjure weapons from nature, ve sets out to save her family and her kingdom from the Knight's corrupt deals.

Bayron's prose is both lyrical and easy to fly through, making the novel a joy to read. Her narrative is fast-paced, yet she skillfully balances action with room for character development. The themes of love, sacrifice, and resilience are woven seamlessly into the plot, adding layers of intrigue and twists to the story.

While the novel is thoroughly engaging, I found myself yearning for more scenes between Eve and Nova. Their relationship adds a rich emotional layer to the story, and I would have loved more to know more about Nova's background.

A fellow reader on Goodreads suggested that all of Bayron's fairytale retellings might be set within the same universe and honestly I would absolute love if it so! AAAHH THE POTENTIAL and THE FUN WE WILL HAVE CONNECTING THE EASTER EGGS <3

In conclusion, Kalynn Bayron has crafted a beautifully written and captivating retelling that breathes new life into the Snow White tale with a cameo of Rumpelstiltskin

Kalynn has quickly become the queen of fairy tell retellings and remixes, her prose is strong and the world she has built is immersive and engaging. If you enjoyed Cinderella is Dead you will love Sleep Like Death and if you haven't read it yet, you'll want to run to the bookstore and pick it up!

Characters 7/10
Atmosphere 8/10
Writing 7/10
Plot 7/10
Intrigue 9/10
Logic 7/10
Enjoyment 8/10

"Sleep Like Death" follows Eve, a princess destined to kill the Knight who disparages her kingdom. The Knight has taken many things from her—some even deeper than she begins to understand. In her quest to end the Knight, she finds herself learning more than she could have imagined about how they are connected and why he is certain they will make a deal.

Kalynn's reimagining of Snow White is so deeply layered that it felt hard to keep up at times. Kalynn has a way of crafting characters where every action feels authentic to who they are. I found myself eagerly reading each chapter, curious about how Eve would appear in the next. All in all, this was a solid retelling that melds stories together in a unique way. Kalynn will always have a fan in me.

Kalynn Bayron is essentially an insta-read author for me now. I enjoy her writing style, her stories, and her characters. This book is no exception. Despite having read most of her books, I have not read Cinderella is Dead. I believe this book returns to the same world, but since I haven't read Cinderella is Dead, I'm not sure how much crossover actually occurs. However, both can be read as standalones and I had no trouble reading this one as such. I'm a fan of fairytale retellings, and I liked how this one was done. It was definitely a fresh take, but I also enjoyed "discovering" the connections between this retelling and the original story. I also really like the relationships Bayron creates between parents/guardians and their children in her stories. It honestly feels like a warm hug. I do wish I had gotten to know more about Nova and his story. Overall, I think this was a fun, fast paced book. Looking forward to whatever Kalynn Bayron writes next! I'd give this to readers that enjoy fairytale retellings.

This is such a well done retelling! I feel like it had the perfect balance of original story elements but also being completely different! I loved Eve's character journey + I thought the dynamic between her + Nova was good! I honestly wish we got more of that relationship. The book was so immersive + definitely kept me on my toes! Overall I really enjoyed!